The Image of the Zoroastrian God Srōsh

Abstract

This paper presents new and decisive evidence relative to the identification of one of the colossal depictions of deities discovered by the Karakalpak-Australian Expedition (KAE) at Akchakhan-kala with the Avestan yazata Sraosha. Besides the therianthropic Sraošāvarez, the explicit Zoroastrian symbol that decorates the tunic of this god, new iconographic details are seen. One is the sraošō.caranā, which is a whip, “the instrument of Srōsh”, held in the hands of one of these “bird-priests” instead of the customary barsom. The symbols are presented and discussed in their historical context.

Archaeological and molecular evidence for ancient chickens in Central Asia

“…The image has led some scholars to suggest stronger Central Asian roots in the origins of the rooster-worshiping cult 5 , 103 . The hybrid bird-priest motif represents an assistant of Sraosha and is said to be a rooster that can predict the coming of dawn, waking up the religious practitioners to fulfil their duties (Vidēvdād XVIII: 14–15, 22–23 7 ). Rooster priests are prominent on Sogdian funerary couches, such as the depiction of two Zoroastrian rooster priests at a fire temple from the Shelby White and Leon Levy Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (sixth century AD) 6 .…”

“…Historical sources attest to the prominence of chickens in southern Europe and southwest Asia by the last centuries BC 4 . Likewise, art historical depictions of chickens and anthropomorphic rooster-human chimeras are reoccurring motifs in Central Asian prehistoric and historic traditions 5 – 7 . However, when this ritually and economically significant bird spread along the trans-Eurasian exchange routes has remained a mystery.…”